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I think my concerns are about removing the existing 's' & 'f' markings, as well as touching up existing finishes after the new etching is done.

I did see the one post about using emery/scotchbrite's to blend out the S & F stamps. Might try that....

Anyone use a dremel attachment to speed up the abrasion removal of the S & F stamps?
If so, which one would be best for a controlled, careful job?

Thanks, T

What receiver do you have? Some manufacturers markings are so shallow that they can be removed with sandpaper. Some are marked deeper and would require more work. I've had stuff TIG welded in the past so that I could replace with my own markings.

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Want to save money building AND have the most authentic looking selector markings?

All of these are built (not blank recievers): I have a parked milled reciever, a 2013 WASR and a stamped yugo (NDS). The NDS stamps are deep. The other two are relatively shallow and I'd consider sanding those down.

My biggest concern is touching up to match the dark (black) parkerizing. Not sure what the WASR finish is, though its very dark.

It will etch the arc between the letters and the 3 round detents. Everything you see pictured.

As far as the arc between the C/P/S, I'm not sure why they even put that in as it serves no real purpose. The only contact with the side of the receiver is the ball that rides into the detents. You can see this on the scratch it creates in the paint. But since it's the original feature, it's in the reproduction

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weaponmark

What are you waiting for?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stroid

Wow! So nice! Does it etch that track between the letters too for the thumb selector to ride in? And the detent holes?

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Want to save money building AND have the most authentic looking selector markings?

I sent ya a PM with a custom request, hopefully you can make it happen.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by IanMor

These DB pissing contests amuse me greatly. Good men flailing at each other like old women fighting over extra space on the clothes line for their bloomers to hang.
It's fucking idiotic. Everyone calling into question each other's character over the most trivial of things. It's like the fucking Special Olympics locker room snapping retarded asses with towels.

You want a SMOOTH surface for best adhesion. If possible, hand sand to a shine. A rough surface will not look good when done. Prepare by removing ALL traces of oil. This is imperative for a successful application. Use household rubbing alcohol, not your favorite caustic cleaner. These types of cleaners can leave residue on the surface and will ruin the bond surface between the decal and the metal. Wipe down the marking area and let dry.

2. Decal application

Your decal is made of three layers. The white backing, the decal, the clear transfer. The transfer is needed to hold the parts in place as you remove the backing of the decal to adhere it to the work surface. Before you start, it is good practice to rub the top layer with a coin or credit card to ensure it has good contact with the face (black vinyl under the clear top) of the decal.

CAREFULLY peel the white backing away from the decal. Using a credit card at a sharp angle is helpful in ensuring the inner pieces do not stick to the backing upon removal. This is more likely to occur around the inside of the A,B,P etc. If a piece becomes misaligned throughout any of the process, the wooden pick is provided as a convenience.

Hold up the decal to a light source after removing the backing to make sure everything is properly aligned.

Visually align your decal on the receiver and gently place in position at an angle that would prevent air bubbles from getting trapped as you finalize placement. Again, rub the clear, top surface with a coin or something similar to ensure decal is firmly placed on the receiver.

You can now slowly, and carefully peel the clear transfer layer away, again at a sharp angle. Make sure there are no wrinkles or gaps. There is usually no recovering from a poorly placed stencil.

Mask around the decal with transparent tape to seal out the electrolyte. If it gets in there so will electricity and you will be etching places you don't want to. I usually go at least 1" in all directions. Application is now complete.

3. Preparation of etch tool.

-Work in a well ventilated area.

-Mix warm water and salt.

Cut the cotton pad into strips.

Fold a piece up and clip it into the black, NEGATIVE (-) lead. Do this in a way that you have a tuft of cotton, just large enough to cover one place at a time. Example: the Yugoslavian "U,R,J" is comprised of three places, and in this particular case, the "AB" would be one place, the "OA" is another place. You want the tuft to be big enough to be able to cover both AB together. Clip the red, POSITIVE (+) lead directly to your receiver. Making sure your black lead is NOT touching the receiver, plug in a good 9v battery.

Dip the cotton into the salt water electrolyte. Make sure it is soaked completely. Remove excess water. You want the cotton wet, but not quite dripping.

Remember this part: PAT, DO NOT RUB.

Touch the wet cotton to the "AB" on the decal. Hold for a few seconds, lift slightly and touch back down. Repeat this for 30 seconds. Move to the "OA". Touch the wet cotton to the OA. Hold for a few seconds, lift and repeat for 30 seconds. If you have a third place, repeat the step. You will work each place for 30 seconds, patting up and down, and again, do not rub. Continue the 30 second cycles until each place has approximately 2:00-2:30 of burn time. You should not need to wet the cotton after the first time if you allowed enough liquid to remain in it. You should see slight bubbling and hear a sizzle sound. Do not breath in the vapors, this is why I am doing this outside.

Place 1

Place 2

Place 1 again

After 4:00, each place had approximately 4 sets of 00:30 etch time. 2:00 total was spent on the AB, 2:00 total was spent on the OA. I then did an additional 00:30 on each one, and overall burn time was completed at the 5:00 mark.

Check your depth with the pick. Keep in mind that the decal has some height, even if it is small. Typically I find 2:30 on each place adequate, but don't assume that's a magic number. Different metal hardness will result in different etch times. An unfolded flat might take a little less time over a heat treated receiver. You may want to try 10-15 second increases to get to the depth you are happy with. Keep in mind, the deeper you go, the wider the marking will be, as the electrolyte will also eat at the sidewalls created by the depth. I actually take this factor into account when creating from originals, so that when you get around the right depth, the width will look good too!

Once you are happy with the depth, go ahead and remove the decal. The pick is a useful tool here.

It is important to clean up the area right away. Failure to properly clean at this stage will quickly promote corrosion. Oil right away after cleaning!

Stand back and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

PRO TIP.

Most original markings were stamped. The etch process provides a way to give you that stamped marking look that is missing from most rifles. However, one little trick will make your freshly made marking REALLY pop!

Take a piece of 320 grit sandpaper, and place it on your receiver where you etched. Use a pencil eraser to rub the sandpaper over your freshly etched marking in a circular motion. Once a slight contour develops, switch to a scotch-brite pad. This will smooth the edges and will feel like butter, and it really looks like a fresh stamp!

NOTES:

-- Once in a while I see a customers pic and I think it could have come out better than it did. There is a constant theme here, the user didn't follow the directions. Little to no surface prep, and using a power supply that can reanimate Frankenstein. Use the etch tool I offer, or rig a similar one. No need to splice into the power lines for this.--

The markings you will receive are set to the left of the decal to help you visually align them with the detents on your receiver. Take some time to look at original examples to get an idea of placement. Often times, the same model from the same country might have a little variation to placement. It is also common to see placement not perfectly aligned with detents, or the receiver itself. Sometimes even the characters are not perfectly aligned with eachother. This is part of what I recreate when making these decals. It's the subtle touches that help bring your rifle to life.

If this interests you, check out my for sale page by clicking HERE. I am constantly adding more variants, so there's lots more in store!

Thank you for trying my offering, and I hope to have you as a repeat customer. Tell your friends there is a cheaper and better alternative for AK markings from Weaponmark.[/QUOTE]

one, should the flat I am useing be, well, flat, bent, or does it not matter when applying.

and two, I am finishing the receiver in oxphoblue, should I do the etching before or after the 5 coats of cold blue I will apply, thank you.

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The gun has played a critical role in history, an invention which has been praised and denounced, Served hero and villain alike, and carries with it moral responsibility,To understand the gun is to better understand history.
-Tales of the Gun - 1999
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M70B1 Build Oversize Trunnion/Parts Help? : http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328858
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C&R FFL Holder

It does not matter but it might be easier if it's bent since it might help with proper placement. Either way, just make sure the surface is wiped with alcohol. It helps to hit the area before with sandpaper to ensure there is no coating on the metal.

I would certainly mark them before applying any finish.

Use your practice pieces and have fun.

__________________

Want to save money building AND have the most authentic looking selector markings?

That looks well done. I do have some experience with electro etching, though I use a different style that costs a tad more. But, is way easier to screw up.

It really doesn't matter what method you use to get the results. For you first timers, remember that heat is the enemy. Soon as it gets warm to the touch, then stop and let it cool down.

I'm seeing lots of good work here with this and the potential is endless as long a stencil supply exists. There are many options for stencils as well. This type for one off or one at a time use is the cheapest and easiest.

This is actually a very approximate amount. I've had open containers evaporate, leaving crystalized salt and I just added more water. Make sure to use the practice pieces. If you are not comfortable after the practice stage, send me a PM.

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Want to save money building AND have the most authentic looking selector markings?